School Presentation

SECONDARY SCHOOL DR. JÚLIO MARTINS (ESJM) External Evaluation Process

PRESENTATION OF SCHOOL

1. BACKGROUND AND CHARACTERIZATION OF THE SCHOOL 1.1. Physical and social context

On May, 2nd 1919, Júlio Martins, as the Minister of Commerce, creates in Chaves the first Industrial School with a Commercial Class (Decree No. 5490, the Ministry of Commerce, and General Directorate of Education, Industry and Commerce). Eighty-nine years have gone since then. At the first meeting of the Board on June, 27th 1919, the proposal to give the school the name of Júlio Martins was unanimously approved, which later would come to lose and finally recover in 1978, the year when, without hesitation and consensually, Dr. Júlio Martins was considered its patron. With the implementation of the democratic regime that came out on April, 25th 1974, the educational system undergoes deep changes, emphasising the principles of democracy and consequent opportunities of access and success to all citizens, enshrined in the Basic Law of the Educational System. Our School adapts to this new reality and is considered the one that best translates these principles. Much has happened since then, not only in this town but also in the country. Nevertheless, this institution has crossed the times, providing, today as yesterday, an important service to the community. Nowadays the school has about a hundred teachers and other professionals, who provide public educational service to 680 students: 305 of the 3rd cycle of Elementary Education, 274 of Secondary Education, 84 of Vocational Education and 17 of Education and Training Courses. The school population is very uneven, expressing mixed economic, cultural and social conditions. This school, whose population was once more rural, has now an essentially urban

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population (58% vs. 42%). It takes most students 15 minutes to get to school and the others about 30 minutes. It is thus possible to relate to each of these groups different attitudes towards school, which sets scenarios / problems also possible of typification. The decrease of pupils, caused by birth rates, forced the school to rethink its organization, offering them new opportunities, in order to make it possible to combine the common student with the one at normal risk of dropping out, asserting its tradition of inclusive school. But Dr. Júlio Martins School largely transcends everything about it that is likely to be entered in numbers, whatever they are: the number of students, their average results, failures and absences, the projects developed, the amounts spent and so on. This school is, and will always be, above all a place of socialization and preparation for life, regardless

of

considerations

that

can

be

made

all

throughout

the

subject.

The recognition, well demonstrated by the community in which we operate, makes us believe that the most important is not insisting on being what we are, but in being able, thanks to our own efforts and those of others, to improve what we are.

1.2. School size and physical conditions

The school operates in a building with three floors, with 4 outdoor sport fields. It has 34 classrooms for non-specific classes and a few specific rooms: Laboratories of Electrotechnics and Electronics, Mechanics, Biology, Physics, Chemistry and Informatics; Electricity, Carpentry and Mechanics workshops; Mathematics, Secretariat and Administration classrooms; sports facilities (gymnasium, outdoor multipurpose fields and tracks); spaces and resources of support - BE/ CRE (School Library/Resources Centre), Auditorium, Mini-auditorium, Study Room, SPO (Psychology and Vocational guidance Service), Laboratory of Photography, Multimedia Room, Lounge to receive Parents / Carers, Repro and Stationery; specific facilities for teaching intermediate structures; spaces for Administration Services (Office of the Executive Board and Services of School Administration); places of conviviality (teachers' room, non-teaching staff room, students’ outdoor and indoor playgrounds, bar, Students’ Association room).

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The ESJM also lodges the Training Centre of the Association of Schools of Alto-Tâmega and Barroso and the Support Team to the Alto-Tâmega Schools’. Overall, the school building is in an unsatisfactory state, despite the efforts made on its conservation. On what concerns specific installations, it is necessary to reclassify some of them and root construction of the Science areas, adapting them to current requirements of the courses, syllabuses and services.

1.3. Characterization of the pupils

The low level of education of most parents /carers (1st level of elementary education - 347; 2nd level - 172; 3rd level - 217; secondary education - 206; further education - 38; higher education - 71; others - the rest) and the low socio-economic level of households is visibly reflected in the results of the students (in the 3rd level of Elementary Education, 11% of the students have repeated at least a year along their educational background, and in the Secondary, approximately 12%). The consequences of the students’ low expectations facing school are notorious (31% of them don’t expect to follow further studies) and the lack of family monitoring and guidance is another factor that contributes to their failure. Although there are few students from households with a history of emigration, there are some specific problems of Portuguese learning in the case of students who return to Portugal after having begun school in another country, as well as problems associated with the prolonged absence of parents. Both at this level and the level of attendance, the existing critical situations are very few, and therefore likely to be individually accompanied, excluding, so, widespread problems. The incomes of most households are low, currently benefiting from social school support about a third of the students.

1.4. Teachers

The vast majority of teachers (over 80%) belongs to the QE (list of permanent teaching staff) and have worked in this establishment for ten or more consecutive years, while the number of

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those who teach here for the first time represents about 10% of the total. The number of teachers with teaching service time between 15 and 25 years is 40 and over 25 is 41. There is also a teacher of special education. There are school teachers filled in the category of senior teachers in sufficient number for the performance of their duties and it has not been necessary to use temporary appointments. The distribution of the teachers is made in accordance with the existing legislation and with a set of guidelines laid down by the PC (Pedagogic Council), taking into account the student and seeking an education of quality that does not neglect their full development. The stability of the teaching staff, their experience and professionalism is one of the school’s most valuable assets. There is special attention to the group of teachers assigned to each form and the profile of the coordinators of intermediate structures, in particular the DTs (Form Tutors). The attendance of the teaching staff shows a very satisfactory level, so we can say that the teachers’ absences, generally speaking, have no significant impact on the organization of the school activities. The absence of teachers is overcome using either an exchange and/or compensation scheme or replacing them by another teacher, from a number of teachers always available for that purpose.

1.5. Non-teaching staff

The list of non-teaching staff is a group of professionals with many years of service, since the vast majority have already served for more than 10 years. Working in administrative offices there are 13 employees (10 of the permanent list and 3 from temporary contract provisions) and auxiliaries of education are 31 (17 of the permanent list, 6 with individual contracts, 5 with fixed-term contracts and 3 are working in other conditions). The school also has a psychologist that ensures the SPO. Generally, the non-teaching staffs show lack of formal education: secondary education - 32%; 3rd level of elementary education - 39%; 2nd level - 6% and 23% only the 1st level, as well as lack of training in specific areas of their intervention. The shortages of personnel are a constant concern of the organs of the School. It is above all a need felt by teachers, students, parents and non-teaching staff who are faced with working

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hours that, in the lack of a better term, are defined as disconnected and irregular, a situation that is aggravated by sick leaves or forced absences due to major reasons.

1.6. Financial Resources

The annual budget of the school for this calendar year is € 468.230.00. That amount breaks down into € 37.100.00 in revenue and € 148.200.00 from the state budget, in addition to 282.930.00 € founds of POPH for the CEF and Professional courses. The amounts are applied practically in current expenditure, remaining for capital only € 41.100.00. In particular, should be referred the resources obtained through the Socrates/Comenius programme – 21 000,00 €, PAM - 900,00 €; Chaves City Council - 3000,00 €; Health -300,00 €; School Sports – 3500,00 €. In 2007 € 38.482,71 were spent in economic aid. The budget options are defined by the Administrative Council and the School Assembly. Regarding the mobilization of resources, the school has applied to all public offerings and measures, which has allowed, for example, the purchase of technical equipment.

2. THE EDUCATIONAL PROJECT 2.1. Priorities and objectives

With the Educational Project we intend to lay the groundwork for an effective school, which means a "good school" or one that achieves its purposes. Responding to these challenges involves developing a school culture of responsibility, work, demand, strictness and discipline, contributing, in the words of M. S. Guerra, for the “improvement of society through the formation of critical, responsible and honourable citizens", which we seek to achieve. In short: more than a guiding document, the Educational Project of the School presupposes the existence of an implicit pact between the actors in the teaching / learning process, namely: teachers, students and parents or carers. The first are required to fulfil their duty with

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competence, responsibility, justice and fairness; the students are required to understand that the school, though being a space of freedom, is also a place of demand, discipline, study and responsibility, where their success or failure depend largely on themselves and their own understanding of what a school is; the parents or carers are required to take more part in school matters, to monitor the activities of their children outside it and to convey them the message that school is a place of enormous importance for their full education and for their future. Consistent with its high aspirations the ESJM assumes, as part of its action, to guide its educational project by the following principles, which are considered essential: • Creating conditions that allow the development of a democratic and pluralistic spirit among the school community, as well as the existence of an environment of discipline, hard work, participation, involvement and welfare; • Contribution to the development of our students’ intellectual, ethical, physical and aesthetic abilities, taking into account their level of development and their cultural capital, binding them to the observance of internal rules and of the law; • Ensuring equal opportunities for students with special educational needs; • Recognition of teachers as autonomous and responsible professionals, engaged in a constant improvement of their teaching practices, aiming at the success of their students; • Co-responsibility of parents and / or carers in the educational success of their children; • Maintenance and improvement of the materials and physical structures of the school; • Integration of the school in an increasingly wider educational community; • Recognition of the non-teaching staff as professionals with relevant roles in the school community; • Raising awareness of environmental issues and healthy lifestyles; • Implementation of practices of individual, departmental and school self-assessment. The strengths of this project are the quality of services, SPO and Special Education, the number of partnerships established with various entities, listed below, the Annual Plan of

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Activities, the diversity of educational offers provided and the implementation of selfassessment practices. The weak points are the degradation of the school building, lack of thermal and acoustic insulation, caused by the type of windows, lack of space for the creation of new facilities (workrooms for teachers, laboratories, toilets, rooms to receive parents / carers and lodge their association,...), shortage of materials and technical equipment and that of security, lack of a multipurpose sports pavilion and some instability/demotivation caused by recent legislative changes.

2.2. Strategies and action plans

The ESJM has set the strategies to achieve its objectives, which are part of its Educational Project. • The guidelines have been defined and outlined in a set of actions to implement the educational project, of which stand out: • The development of an Annual Plan of Activities, with diverse activities, curricular and extracurricular, involving the educational community, in accordance with the strategic objectives, the functional tasks of the organic unit and the human and financial resources available. • The planning and goal setting for learning and assessment procedures, taking into account the student and the specificity of the school subject, focussing on the diversification of methods and teaching techniques. • Analysis of the learning results in all the subjects, comparing the initial state (through diagnosis assessments) with the progress made. • The development of recovery / monitoring / enrichment plans adequate to the students’ performances, especially to those who have the greatest learning disabilities. • The construction of good materials (observation and evaluation scales, worksheets, tests, educational texts, games ...). • The application of tests organized in the disciplinary group and intermediate tests of the ME.

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• The promotion and development of reading habits, through the BE / CRE team. • The improvement of the educational equipment of the classrooms, both in quantity and quality, keeping it operational; • The involvement of parents, giving them to meet the general / specific assessment criteria, the syllabuses contents, as well as the number of classes planned. • The support to the Students’ Association in order to make it a partner in the motivation and integration of students; • The promotion, in addition to the mechanisms of participation in the different organs, of spaces for dialogue, through the holding of regular meetings of Teachers, of Staff, of Form Delegates and of Parents / Carers; • The implementation of protocols with local companies in order to place the trainees of the education training courses and professional courses;

3. THE ORGANIZATION AND MANAGEMENT OF THE SCHOOL 3.1. Management structures

The management structures of the school have suffered successive changes, particularly since 1998. If the objectives behind these amendments aimed at a better coordination among the various actors, clarifying a set of skills and improving the assertion of intermediate leaderships, the successive amendments have not given enough time for the necessary consolidation of these changes. In this school, and without prejudice to the new Rules set by the General Council during this transitional year in accordance with Article 20. Decree Law 75/2008 of April, 22nd, the composition of the PC was approved as follows: 1 -- Director, 4 – Senior Teachers in charge of the departments coordination, 6 - Structures of coordination and supervision of teaching and educational guidance (multidisciplinary and ensuring the representation of different educational offers: 1 Coordinator of the Library, National Plan of Reading and School Newspaper, 1 Coordinator of the Education for Health project, 1 Coordinator of the SPO and Special Education. 1 Coordinator of DTs, 1 Coordinator of the New Opportunities and 1 Coordinator of ICT, WFP, DE and Security. 1 Spokesperson of the non-teaching staff, 1

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Spokesperson of the Parents / Carers; 2 Students (1 of the secondary regular education and 1 of the professional education). The powers of this body are defined in terms of Decree-Law 75/2008 of April, 22nd. There have been created 4 curricular departments and 15 school subjects. The operation of these two intermediate structures, together with the role of the executive body, in conjunction with the CTs, the DS, the SPO and the Booster (educational support to weaker students), is crucial in achieving the objectives of the school. All these structures are based on an experienced skilled demanding teaching staff, a little resistant to changes, particularly those arising from the new Teaching Career Statute and Student Statute. It is important that each of the actors in these structures is aware of their responsibilities and exercise in a spirit of collaboration, sharing and cooperation that has been the norm in this school. This way of building the school has taken to a pooling of efforts with increasingly positive results for the various stakeholders and in particular for students.

3.2. Educational management

For the tutoring of students and organizing, monitoring and evaluating the activities of the forms there are the CTs (Form Councils), each with its DT (Form Tutor), and a structure for the Coordination of the DTs. The specialized services of educational support in the School aim to promote conditions which ensure the full integration of pupils and should combine its operations with the structures of educational guidance. There are the SPO (Psychology and Vocational Guidance Service) and the APs (Booster) for pupils with special needs. For the development of various activities that are considered important in the formation of our students, the School has a set of Coordinators: School Sports, Education for Health Project, BE / CRE, ICT, WFP, Socrates/Comenius, Safety and Protection, Exams Secretariat and Directors of specific Facilities, such as Sports, Electricity, Mechanics, Biology and Physics / Chemistry. Parents / Carers participate in the school life through their representatives in the AP / EE (Parents’ Association), the CGT (Transitional General Council); CP (Pedagogic Council);

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Form Council and Assembly for the election of the Executive Board. The Parents / Carers of a specific form can hold meetings with the DT. Students have their rights and obligations enshrined in the Law and in the School Rules. Students take part in the organization of the School through the Form Delegate and Subdelegate, Assembly of Delegates, Form Assembly, representatives of secondary education in the Elective Assembly, CGT and CP, and also, through the Students’ Association. The distribution of the teachers is made to ensure the continuity of teaching the same forms in each level of education, except in case of any obvious incompatibility or impossibility, with particular attention to the role of the DT (Form Tutor). The role of the Form Councils and the DTs is of major relevance, as they are the performers of the pedagogic management developed in the school. They do most of the work which is directly close to the students, with the definition of strategies, support, standards and criteria for action, reorientation of methodologies, monitoring of individual cases to the most diverse levels, always seeking the best for the student, basically the reason for our entire effort. At the beginning of each year, the half-term form meetings, with the presence of representatives of parents and students, are important moments for all this work. In the Evaluation Form Councils there is a detailed analysis of the realities of the class in order to readjust strategies. The PC analyses the data supplied by the CTs, Departments and results of external evaluation, supported by statistical maps for all school subjects, forms and schooling years. It also outlines a set of criteria / guidelines to be considered at the evaluation meetings, the formation of forms, the drawing up of timetables and the delivery of teaching service. These documents are adopted after the various actors had been heard. The pedagogic management of the school is therefore founded on values of fairness, justice and positive discrimination, ensuring equal opportunities. To that end it organizes a series of educational support strategies that are directed to overcoming the difficulties of the students, whatever they are, from learning disabilities to problems of integration into the school, special educational needs or students from other school systems. We have the SPO, a Technician of Special Education, a Study Room, the BE / CRE and Booster (extra classes) for Mathematics, English and Portuguese.

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3.3. Procedures for institutional self-evaluation

The school has made its self-evaluation in meetings of the CP and the School Assembly, after having heard the Departments and/or Subject Areas, at the end of each term and especially at the end of the year. At the beginning of each year it analyses the results of national examinations and the comparative performance of the school (rankings), which has revealed progress, fruit of the commitment of all. The various coordinators and DTs present, at the end of each academic year, the reports where the balance of activities is done. The Assembly also makes a critical assessment of the implementation of the School Annual Plan of Activities. This set of data is organized and serves as a reflection, but in order to make it more fruitful, a committee for the school self-evaluation was created in 2006.

4. CONNECTING TO COMUNITY 4.1. Articulation and participation of parents and carers in school life

It appears that the Parents / Carers show short engagement with the school. The reasons given regarding to contacts with the DTs are: reduced availability and interest; incompatible schedules; lack of reasons which justify it. Many parents keep the idea that coming to school is associated with their children’s behaviour or learning problems, considering that in the absence of such problems, their presence in the educational establishment is not justified, which explains their absenteeism in school life. The reduced presence at meetings of Parents / Carers is related to several factors: reduced ability to resolve the problems, lack of motivation on matters presented, lack of availability and spirit of partnership, and distance to school. Parents monitoring decreases as students go

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up the different years of schooling. However, with more or less difficulty, there’s the opportunity to elect the representatives of the parents and about two thirds of the parents or carers come to school at the end of each term to receive information about their children’s grades. The Parents / Carers Association is active and collaborative and is represented in different organs, presenting high levels of attendance. It would be useful for the school that it was truly representative and not only consisting of a small number of parents who are interested, who gives suggestions, who are partners in the resolution of some problems. The school has always been concerned about this lack of participation of parents in their children’s school life. In order to motivate them for a more regular participation, the school has defined a set of actions, such as a skilful choice of the DT, the possibility of making contacts by telephone, the drawing up of informative leaflets, support to Parents / Carers Association (photocopies, telephone),

appeals to their

participation in extracurricular

activities (festivals, school day, delivery of diplomas, excursions...). The DTs show, in general, the willingness to receive them out of the scheduled hours.

4.2. Articulation and participation of local authorities

A budget has been made available every year by the municipality for extracurricular activities (school trips and other activities) and it has cooperated when students travel for activities outside school (exchanges with other schools, Olympics of Mathematics, Physics and the Environment). Their collaboration is still felt in specific arrangements (sanitation, electricity, cleaning ...). It is represented in several events taking place at school and is always ready to participate and cooperate. The representative of the municipality had also a seat in the former Assembly of School and currently in the CGT.

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4.3. Articulation and participation of local institutions - businesses, social and cultural institutions

The school has activities and projects that seek to support the career guidance, the learning process and the full education of students. Today, we have the School Newspaper, School Sports Club, the BE / CRE, the National Reading Plan, the Mathematics Action Plan, the Program of Education for Health, the project Tobacco-free School, the ICT Plan, the Safety / Civil Protection project, the School Site (http://www.esb3-drjuliomartins.edu.pt), Special Education, Guidance and Psychology Services, Socrates / Comenius programme, partnership with the IR-19, in addition to other activities of short duration developed in the framework of the Form Projects or the Curricular Departments. Under these projects, a series of partnerships are established with organizations, social structures and political representatives of the community (City Council, Employment Centre, PSP - Safe School, Health Centre No. 1 and 2, School of Nursing, ACISAT and Ex-students’ Association, Vocational Training Centre, Group Aquae Flaviae, CFAEATB, EAE ...) aiming at the enrichment of the activities. Under the New Opportunities Program (training courses / professional courses) the school has established partnerships with local companies in order to meet the training needs of the region and the labour market, formalizing training protocols, thus involving the students and the school with the community.

5. EDUCATIONAL ATMOSPHERE 5.1. Discipline and civic behaviour

The Educational Project gives a strong emphasis on discipline and civic behaviour, defining for that purpose a set of principles and values leading to an increase in the awareness and participation of the various members of the educational community. A school with healthy relationships between the several members of its community is based on rules of citizenship. Our students in general have a proper behaviour, both inside the classroom and in the

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playgrounds. The classes of Civics and the commitment of teachers in general and DTs in particular also help to improve their behaviour standards. The school organizes events whose purpose is to strengthen the relationship of cordiality, mutual respect, tolerance and sociability (Christmas Party, School Day, retirement parties ...). The school is considered safe and quiet. In recent years the number of cases that led to disciplinary proceedings has decreased. Other minor problems were solved through the dialogue teacher / student / parent or carer / Executive Board / form tutor and SPO. The school has a night-guard all week trough, including weekends and holidays. It is expected that during this academic year the implementation of the electronic card and video surveillance will enhance the safety conditions.

5.2. Motivation and commitment

At the beginning of each school year the DTs receive the 7th and 10th year students and talk to them about the IR (School Rules), the functioning and structure of the school and give them a leaflet about its organization. Then, they go on a guided tour around the school facilities and in the end are offered a snack, in an atmosphere of conviviality. The School Ex-Students Association awards every year two finalist students (one of the courses geared towards the pursuit of studies and another from the technological courses). The new teachers are received by the Executive Board and Department/ Subject Area Coordinators and formally introduced at the general meeting of teachers. In most cases they integrate easily, both in school and within their respective areas, since much of the planning work is done by teachers who teach the same year. The management of the various organs is made with dedication and professionalism, based generally on friendly relations between coordinators and coordinated, each trying to do their best to achieve their ultimate goal, the success of the students. The school community is invited to participate in various activities at school and in particular in the paper "Stop. Period”, which comes out once a term and in the School Site.

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6. RESULTS 6.1. Academic results

The academic results are satisfactory and according to the national average. In recent years the progress has been visible. In the 3rd level of elementary education can be verified a consolidation in the improvement of the results (around 80% of approvals), result of the investment made in areas such as Portuguese Language and Mathematics. Since 2004/2005 the rates of success in the 12th year and in the access to higher education have considerably increased and the current rates are respectively of 75% and 85% (only in the 1st phase). This set of data is accompanied and analysed by the PC, after hearing the intermediate structures, which give it a first thought, trying to identify the possible causes for any failures and trying to devise strategies to overcome them. The rate of drop-outs in the past three years is very low, for which has contributed, in addition to the commitment of the SPO, the CTs and the DTs in particular, the creation of CEF and professional courses, the existence of educational support and the committed participation in projects such as the WFP, the National Plan for Reading, the network of school libraries... There is still an irrelevant number of students who drop out in the 10th year and choose to enter the labour market, since they are no longer covered by compulsory education and have low expectations towards school.

6.2. Social results of education

The school is aware of the educational follow-up of a large number of its students, both by the results of the access to Higher Education and the DTs or the teachers of the 12th year and SPO, who generally follow their route. As far as the students of the New Opportunities are concerned, the data show that the vast majority of those who completed the courses pursued studies or entered the labour market. The same goes for the former Technological Courses.

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The students can rely on the services of the SPO for educational guidance. The school gives particular attention to disadvantaged and disabled students.

7. OHER RELEVANT ITEMS TO DESCRIBE THE SCHOOL

The ESJM is trying to lodge the New Opportunities Centre on its premises, trying to make its students’ parents, ex-students and other valuable people from this region return to school to complete studies, certify and validate skills. The school has tradition and added value to provide this service to the community. The short experience of the Professional Courses makes us believe that this shift towards the community will bring relevant benefits both to school or our partners, as we always try to match the availability of the School (teaching staff, facilities and equipment) to the needs / characteristics of business in the region. The school has always been willing to accept other entities in its premises: the UNIVAR, the Training Centre of the Association of Schools of Alto-Tâmega and Barroso and the EAE of Alto-Tâmega. The school needs the refurbishment of its structure, new equipment on what concerns safety, investment in the classrooms, already referred in the technological plan, and a multipurpose sports pavilion.

Chaves, October 3, 2008 The Chairman of the Executive Board __________________________________

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